Statue of Rocky outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

A group of us here recently attended the annual Museums and the Web conference, held this year in Philadelphia.  The conference brings together museums from around the world to explore the role of technology in our various initiatives – whether they be online, in the galleries, or even in how our museums function.  Between lunch runs to Reading Terminal Market (amazing), the references to Ben Franklin (ever-present), and meeting with colleagues old and new (always a highlight), we each came away with a list of projects/ideas/encounters that grabbed our attention and will inspire our work throughout the upcoming year.  Here are our top takeaways from this year’s conference:

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Filed under: Museum Community, New Media, Road Trip, Technology, Travel

I just realized the date for this blog is 08-08-08. Three 8’s. Eight is one of my favorite numbers. If I could skate it would be great if I could make a figure eight. When I doodle I often make eights. You really needed to know all that didn’t you?

I recently attended the annual Perennial Plant Association Symposium held this year in Philadelphia. The first PPA Symposium I attended 14 years ago was in Philadelphia. And 17 years ago I did a one year internship in Philadelphia at the Morris Arboretum. My advisor at Purdue, Dr. Harrison Flint, said everyone in horticulture should spend some time in the Delaware Valley and since there were no job prospects it was a no-brainer as the young kids say. This is an area rich in horticultural history and filled with public gardens anyone even mildly interested in gardening should visit. Just as importantly, the profession of horticulture is respected in a way still not found in the Midwest. Of course, they have one or two hundred years on us. So it may take a few more months for us to catch up.

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Filed under: Horticulture, Travel